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It's been nine years since the last full length album from this LA band, and Zenith comes unreservedly recommended. This studio-friendly band mix a heady cocktail with the rare ability (nowadays at least) to vary their approach and handle all kind of musical styles keeping the listeners on their toes at all times as they twiddle their mellotrons, stylophones, optigans, analog synths and e-bows. The Abba-esque piano breaks on the opening track Letter to the Editor and the following catchy, groove-based I'm With You set the pace and warm you for thrills yet to come. Other favourite tracks include the pure pop gem Girl on a Red Velvet Swing and the dark melancholic If My Eyes Offended You. In a perfect world this album would be filed next to Jellyfish in the burgeoning Power Pop section of any given record store, be hailed a classic and sell enough for these studio rats to get their act into a nearby venue.

Torbjorn Wickman
CWAS #7 - Spring 2001

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